Term
Puberty in gilts? Boars? Reproduction - nonseasonally or seasonally polyestrus? Visible signs of estrus? Estrous cycle? Estrus period? Ovulation? Gestation? How many in a litter? |
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Definition
) Puberty: 6 months in gilts (5 to 7 months and 150 to 250 lbs); 5-8 months in boars (between 175-250 lbs depending upon breed and season)
b) Reproduction: Nonseasonally polyestrus - If not impregnated, sows will cycle in all seasons of the year, however, as the temperature climbs sows are less likely to express the visible signs of estrus (e.g., standing to be mounted, excitable and ‘nervous’ behavior); boars also decline in libido as summer temperatures climb
Estrous Cycle - 21 day average (19-23)
Estrus Period - lasts 60 hours in sows; 45 hrs in gilts
Ovulation - 24-36 hours after onset of estrus; 15-20 eggs shed
Gestation - 114 days (3 mo, 3 wks, 3 days); 8-10 pigs born/litter
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Term
Digestive Anatomy: Rumen or no rumen? Much like ____ absorption of nutrients occur in? Typical diet includes ___ and ____ |
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Definition
| c) Digestive Anatomy: Simple stomached - nonruminants. The pig has a digestive system quite similar to that of humans. Because there is no rumen, the level of roughage in pig diets is low. Pigs also only chew food once (using a full complement of incisors and molars), with physical digestion occurring in the stomach (approximately 2 gallon capacity). Absorption of nutrients occurs in the small intestine. Typical diets include, principally corn and soybeans, although by-product feeds are also used; feeds like brewers grains, raisins, almond hulls. |
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Term
Feeder Pig Industry is equivalent to the ___-___ industry sale of weaned pigs at _____ pounds goal - how many litters, how many pigs from one sow in one year? Farrowing lasts _____ Within the first two weeks, what happens? |
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Definition
| a) The Feeder Pig Industry: This is the equivalent of the cow-calf industry. The business is run around a herd of sows, the purchase of boars (or their semen), the farrowing of these sows and the sale of weaned pigs at 40 to 50 pounds, ready for the finishing unit. The goal is to get sows to produce over two litters (2.3) each year and wean 10 healthy pigs. Sows are ‘hand-mated’ (sows are paired with boars when in heat, unlike pasture breeding in sheep and beef), usually to two different boars. During gestation gilts will gain 70-80 lbs and sows 30-40 lbs. Prior to entering the farrowing crate, sows are washed and often fed a bran mash as a laxative to avoid constipation. After farrowing (lasting 30 min to 5 hrs), water will be the only available foodstuff for the first 24 hours, with a first feeding of the laxative diet. Dystocia is uncommon. Piglets need to be kept warm (85-95 F), with umbilical cords clipped and dipped soon after birth; making sure piglets get colostrum. Within the first 2 weeks of life needle teeth are clipped, tails docked and males castrated. Because sow’s milk (like most mammals) is low in iron, piglets are also given iron injections. |
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Term
Finishing Industry Buys feeder pigs at ____ lbs Market weight is _____ Feed: gain ratio is _:_ Most diets include ____ |
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Definition
The Finishing Industry: Here the manager purchases feeder pigs at 40-50 lbs and grows them out to market weight at 220 lbs. The goal is to shoot for a feed:gain ratio of less than 3:1. Most diets are corn, soybean based, but barley is increasingly popular in western states. The farrow-to-finish industry, a growing segment of the pig business, is a combination of the two and requires expert management and business skills.
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Term
Class
| Ration:Period | Protein Percent | Daily Intake | Birth - Weaning | | | | Wean - Market | | | | Wean - Market | | | | Breeding Herd | | | | Breeding Herd | | | | Breeding Herd | | | |
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Definition
Class
| Ration:Period | Protein Percent | Daily Intake | Birth - Weaning | Starter :Birth - 40 lb | 18 | Free Choice | Wean - Market | Grower:40 - 120 lb | 16 | Full Feed | Wean - Market | Finisher:120 - 210 lb | 14 | Full Feed | Breeding Herd | Gestation:Wean - Farrow | 14 | 5 lb/day | Breeding Herd | Lactation:Farrow - Wean | 16 | 12 lb to Full | Breeding Herd | Boar | 14 | 6 lb/day |
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Term
Health and Disease Emphasis on _______ Atrophic rhinitis? Pseudorabies? Transimissible gastroenteritis? |
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Definition
| The emphasis should be on prevention, particularly with parasitic diseases (can vaccinate, worm). Some of the higher incidence diseases are atrophic rhinitis (nasal infection, like a cold; can vaccinate); pseudorabies (herpes viral infection, causing death in piglets and fever in older pigs; no treatment); transmissible gastroenteritis (coronavirus, leads to vomiting and diarrhea, no treatments but can be avoided with clean environment). |
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